Glossary

4 Colour Process (CMYK)

Abbreviation of Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black (CMYK). These make up the standard 4 colour process used for printing in full colour.

A-Sizes
The most common paper sizes used for stationery, leaflets and other publications
A0 - 841 x 1189 mm
A1 - 594 x 841 mm
A2 - 420 x 594 mm
A3 - 297 x 420 mm
A4 - 210 x 297 mm
A5 - 148 x 210 mm
A6 - 105 x 148.5 mm

Art Board/Paper
A term used for coated papers

Artwork
The images/text that are to be printed (usually supplied digitally as a PDF). As a general rule, artwork should be supplied as a high resolution PDF at 300 dpi, with crop marks and 3mm bleed.

Authors Corrections/Amendments
Changes made by the customer, usually at the proofing stage. These are usually chargeable, as opposed to in-house errors which are not.

Back Up
To print on the reverse of a sheet which has already been printed on one side

Bleed
Where the image to be printed extends (usually by 3mm) over the crop marks. This makes trimming easier and means the finished documents will run to the edges and not have a line on the edges.

Bond Paper
See Uncoated paper

Bulk
Thickness of paper measured in Microns, as opposed to the weight (see GSM).

CMYK
Abbreviation of Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black. These make up the standard 4 colour process used for printing in full colour.

Coated Paper
Paper which has a coating on one or both sides. This can have a gloss (shiny) or matt (silk) finish. The ink sits on top of the paper giving a vibrant finish. Coated papers are used for the majority of printed products, but not for stationery where an uncoated paper is used.

Coating (See Sealing)

Crease
Where a line is scored to allow for easier and tidier folding. Any board 200gsm and over in weight will need to be creased before folding. This is included in the folding cost.

Crop Marks
Lines marking where the paper is to be trimmed after printing. These should be part of the artwork.

DL
One third of an A4 (99x210). Also an envelope size (220x110) to hold an A4 sheet folded twice (or a compliment slip).

DLE
A DL extra is slightly larger than a DL.

DPI
Dots per inch, or the image resolution. For print, all images in a document should always be a minimum of 300dpi. Lower dpi is used in website design (usually 72dpi), which can be why images taken off a website may look poor when printed.

Dummy
A Mock up of the finished product. This can be printed or unprinted, depending on the purpose. For more information, see Proofs.

Finished Size
The size once trimmed and folded

Flat Size
The size before folding, after trimming. Can also be used if a product is to be supplied creased but unfolded.

Folding
There are a large number of different folding options. Some common folds are:
Roll fold

Concertina or Z fold

FSC
The Forestry Stewardship Council (www.fsc.org) is an independent, non-governmental, not for profit organisation established to promote the responsible management of the world's forests. Certain paper brands are accredited by the FSC. See also PEFC.

Full Colour
Printing in 4 colour process or CMYK, as opposed to using spot or pantone colours.

Grain
The direction of the fibres of paper. It is easier to fold with the grain.

GSM
Grams per square metre. This is the standard measurement of weight for paper. This does not give a true indication of thickness. See also Bulk.

Imposition
The pages of the artwork are arranged such that after printing, cutting and folding, the pages will be in the correct order. Sometimes seen when an imposition proof is supplied electronically, the pages will not be in chronological order.

Laminating
Where a thin plastic film is fixed to one or both sides of the paper. This can create a matt (dull) or gloss (shiny) finish, depending on the intended purpose and personal preference. It also acts as a protective barrier if the print needs to be more durable or is likely to encounter a demanding environment. This is a good idea when there is a lot of ink coverage or dark solids on products such as business cards.

Landscape
Where a document is oriented so the long edges are at the top and bottom. As opposed to portrait.
Lithography / Lithographic (or litho)
The most popular print process, a metal plate is treated so that the image area attracts the oil-based inks, while the wet non-image areas resist them.

Make-ready
All work associated with setting up the print press before production.

Mockup (See Dummy)
Origination
The files to be printed which make up the artwork.

Page
One side of a sheet of paper. For example, an A4 sheet has 2 pages. An A4 sheet folded in half to A5 has 4 pages. Unprinted pages are still counted.

Pantone® (See Spot colours or PMS)
PDF
Portable Document Format. Universal file format which combines images and text. This file is usually not easily edited.

PEFC
Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (www.pefc.org) is an independent, non-governmental, not for profit umbrella organisation now the largerst forest certification system in the world. Certain paper brands are accredited by the PEFC. See also FSC.

PMS
Pantone Matching System. Followed by 3 or 4 digits to make up a code e.g. PMS 072. For more information, see Spot colours.

Portrait
Where a document is oriented so the long edges are on either side. As opposed to landscape.

PP
Printed pages. Refers to the number of pages in a document e.g. 12pp (12 pages)

Proof
Proofs are an example of what is to be printed so both parties are in agreement. Any errors or amendments should be picked up at this stage. Soar Printing can provide either a PDF proof (which has been ripped through our plate making software) or a hard copy proof (which has been digitally printed on a special proofing machine that is calibrated to give a perfect match to the press your job is to be printed on). Our proofs are run to international ISO standards.

Ream
500 sheets of paper

Resolution (See DPI)
Sealing
A clear coating applied over the print to fix it. This helps prevent set off and smudging. All larger print runs on coated stocks include an aqueous seal (a gloss seal on gloss paper, and a silk seal on Matt paper).

Set Off
This is where the ink from one sheet is transferred on to the reverse of the sheet above. Leaving ample time for the ink to dry and applying a sealer helps to prevent this.

Sheet-fed
A sheet-fed printing press uses individual sheets, instead of continuous rolls of paper used on web offset presses. Soar Printing do not have web presses.

Spot Colours
Refers to solid colours which are found in commercially obtainable colour ranges such as Pantone®. PDF to Print is not available in Spot Colours (phone us for more information). Most spot colours can be created using CMYK, although they are not an exact match, and some colours can be very different. It is worthwhile consulting a Spot to Process Guide if you are concerned about this.

Uncoated Paper
Paper which has not been coated. Uncoated papers are generally used for letterheads and forms. The ink will absorb into the paper which can sometimes dull the result. Some digital ‘uncoated’ papers have a smoother feel than offset stock.